Trailblazers in Stormwater Management

Feb 01, 2017

Justin J. Alexander, PLA, has been published in Land and Water Magazine in their January/February 2017 issue. Featured in a 6-page spread, Justin tells Pennoni's story of using Phytoremediation and low-impact stormwater management strategies to obtain land development and PADEP permitting approvals for a hotel development in Cranberry Township, PA. You can read the full article here.

The lack of real estate for conventional stormwater infrastructure and the immense topography across a 2.2 acre site provided opportunities to examine alternative design approaches. Phytoremediation (hereinafter “Phyto”) is a process by which plants are used to remediate soil and groundwater contamination. The process includes the removal of contaminated soil and groundwater through vegetation uptake, which is then released through evapotranspiration. For this project, Phyto, combined with an underground terraced stormwater treatment system, will provide a continuous series of filtration, removal, and remediation to reduce groundwater and soil contamination. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, this system serves as a low-impact stormwater management approach to conventional stormwater infrastructure system.